OPEIU Local 212 to Picket in Protest of Lockout at HealthNow NY, Inc.

BUFFALO, N.Y., May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of members of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 212 in Buffalo, New York will picket in protest of the lockout by HealthNow New York, Inc., dba Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Western New York (BCBS of WNY), on Tuesday, May 10 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Kleinhans Music Hall at 3 Symphony Circle. BCBS of WNY is a corporate sponsor of an event being held at Kleinhans.

OPEIU International President Michael Goodwin will attend the rally and is available for interviews. [Interview requests should be made by contacting Nicole Korkolis, OPEIU director of communication, at 212-675-3210 or nkorkolis@opeiu.org.]

The agreement covering almost 400 workers represented by Local 212 working at HealthNow NY, Inc. expired at 11:59 p.m. on April 25, 2011. The parties had been meeting to negotiate a successor agreement since February. "It is commendable that BCBS supports local charities, arts and sports teams, but the best support BCBS or any employer can provide to a community is jobs!" said Local 212 Business Representative Deana Fox. "Good sustainable jobs create stable homes, a family support system that leads to better educated children and safer and longer lasting communities."

Local 212 members provide customer service, process claims, reproduce documents and do other clerical and support work.

WHO:

Members of OPEIU Local 212, Buffalo, New York

WHAT:

Picketing in protest of lockout of workers by HealthNow New York, Inc. (dba Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Western New York)

WHERE:

Kleinhans Music Hall

3 Symphony Circle

WHEN:

Tuesday, May 10

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

SOURCE Office and Professional Employees International Union, AFL-CIO (OPEIU)